Rafael Nadal Rolls On...
Back on his favored clay courts, at a tournament where he has not lost since 2003. Rafael Nadal found his form again to kick off his clay court season in style by winning the Monte Carlo Masters. The Spanish men continued their strong play with thee reaching the semis in
Monte Carlo. Rafa defeated compatriots, David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco in succession to win the tournament, his first title in almost a year. With a month until the 2010 French Open, Nadal is clearly finding his game.
There is still a lot of tennis to be played before Roland Garros, as well as during the two weeks of the French Open, but Nadal has now neatly (re)positioned himself as the player to beat on the clay. Rafa has history on his side, as well as the results of the other top players, or lack thereof so far into the clay court season. World Number One, Roger Federer has not played a clay court match yet in 2010 and is coming off some poor performances by his standards at the “Baby Slams” where he lost twice after having match point. Novak Djokovic was trounced Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-2 in the semis in Monte Carlo, which was not the ideal clay court opener “Nole” was seeking, especially after recently adjusting his coaching “team” by announcing that he was parting ways with “assistant coach”, Todd Martin, after about 6 months together. Scotsman, Andy Murray continues to struggle since reaching the 2010 Australian Open final, going out meekly 6-2, 6-1 to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round at Monte Carlo. All of which paints a wide open pathway for Rafa to regain his “footing” on his favored clay courts… as long as the body holds up for him…
There is still a lot of tennis to be played before Roland Garros, as well as during the two weeks of the French Open, but Nadal has now neatly (re)positioned himself as the player to beat on the clay. Rafa has history on his side, as well as the results of the other top players, or lack thereof so far into the clay court season. World Number One, Roger Federer has not played a clay court match yet in 2010 and is coming off some poor performances by his standards at the “Baby Slams” where he lost twice after having match point. Novak Djokovic was trounced Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-2 in the semis in Monte Carlo, which was not the ideal clay court opener “Nole” was seeking, especially after recently adjusting his coaching “team” by announcing that he was parting ways with “assistant coach”, Todd Martin, after about 6 months together. Scotsman, Andy Murray continues to struggle since reaching the 2010 Australian Open final, going out meekly 6-2, 6-1 to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round at Monte Carlo. All of which paints a wide open pathway for Rafa to regain his “footing” on his favored clay courts… as long as the body holds up for him…
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